Our Council Happenings Blog is a way to stay updated on all things happening at the Broome County Council of Churches. Keep up-to-date on any news articles, current fundraisers and even hear from our staff on occasion!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What intranet means:
An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet technologies to securely share any part of an organization's information or operational systems with its employees. Sometimes the term refers only to the organization's internal website, but often it is a more extensive part of the organization's information technology infrastructure and private websites are an important component and focal point of internal communication and collaboration.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intranet

How this works:
This could be the way to keep all internet related material on one site. I will be working on it in my off time to see if we can meet all our needs in one place when it comes to the computer.
Please give constructive criticism freely!

The Annual CHOW Walk Against Hunger will take place on the Binghamton University campus Sunday, Oct. 18. More than 100 University students volunteer at this event each year -- and several hundred more collect food and walk. Volunteers are needed, so go to http://chowwalk.blogspot.com/and register today. (Walkers not required to register.)

“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and the wrong. Sometime in your life you will have been all of these.” Dr. Robert H. Goddard

Mackenzie McNamara, 17, is the daughter of Beth and Kevin McNamara and has a 22-year-old sister and 20-year-old brother. She organized a community Swim-a-thon in August at the Boys & Girls Club of Western Broome, collecting more than 2,200 pounds of food and raising more than $1,000 for the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse. A member of the varsity swim team, she also is a member of the school’s Spanish and history clubs.

Why did you organize the Swim-a-thon this summer?

(The swim team) had a senior meeting before and my coach was talking about doing a swim-a-thon. I kept getting ideas and ideas…. I thought it would be really nice or the girls to do. Everyone needs help. We had over 100 swimmers. We had UE, obviously, Vestal, ME, UNAC — the Union Aquatic Club. We had some synchronized swimmers, JC, people from all over.

How did it work?

We swam for 12 hours altogether. We made up this piece of paper — it had 15-minute intervals — to have them do a relay the entire day. We wanted door prizes, so I made up this letter and sent it to businesses, over 50 of them. And when they didn’t respond, I’d pay them a little visit. … I started (organizing) in the beginning of April. I had to do something every single day.

How long did you swim that day?

I only swam for an hour altogether because I was running around like a crazy woman.

What are your plans after graduation?

College, social worker. I really like Oswego, but I haven’t seen “the one” yet.

What’s on your iPod?

I love Michael Buble. I’m into Michael Jackson right now and Taylor Swift.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

The Sheriff's Office and the Broome County Council of Churches are hosting a Homeland Security program entitled: "Operation Safeguard" on Monday 9/28 at 10:00 AM at the Council Offices at 3 Otseningo St, Binghamton, NY. The program is for congregational leaders and clergy in order to help recognize and thwart potential violence in light of a number of recent violent episodes during religious services.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

* Another in a long and fabulous line of events in which the community stepped up to fill the quickly emptying shelves of the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW): Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie McNamara, a senior varsity swimmer at Union Endicott High School, and members of her and other local teams used their aquatic skills on Aug. 22 to net 2,277 pounds of food with their Swim-A-Thon. They also raised more than $1,000 in cash, which went to CHOW and to the Boys and Girls Club of Western Broome in appreciation of donating the facility and staff for the event.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Broome County Council of Churches Jail Ministry ProgramThe Sheriff's Office and the Broome County Council of Churches are hosting a Homeland Security program entitled: "Operation Safeguard" on Monday 9/28 at 10:00 AM at the Council Offices at 3 Otseningo St, Binghamton, NY. The program is... for congregational leaders and clergy in order to help recognize and thwart potential violence in light of a number of recent violent episodes during religious services throughout the country.

Monday, September 14, 2009

April 3, 2009, is a day that most of us will never forget. The American Civic Association became the scene for senseless loss of life and injury to others. None of us could understand why this happened. What we did witness though, was a community that came together to respond to the needs of the victims and the community. People representing federal and state agencies, county organizations, faith-based organizations, elected officials, the business community, and numerous non-profit agencies came together and created a plan to deal with this tragedy.

One aspect of that plan was centered on how best to manage the resources - about $270,000, of which $70,000 has already been expended to help victims with various immediate needs - so generously donated by our community. A broad-based group was created, representing the various entities that would receive donations including Catholic Charities of Broome County, Broome County Council of Churches, United Way of Broome County, The Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier, and the American Civic Association. Other members included the Crime Victims Assistance Center, the Binghamton City Schools, the Community Foundation for South Central New York, the Broome County Bar Association, the Hinman, Howard and Kattel LLP and Broome County Department of Social Services.

This group of volunteers worked to establish a plan that would assure transparency, accountability, legality and equity in the eventual distribution of the donated funds. Research was conducted so we could possibly learn from other communities that had to deal with similar situations (Littleton, Colo., New York City, Omaha, Neb., etc.). We looked to organizations like UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and others for guidance as we traveled through uncharted territory.

We learned that each community and each situation was unique, and we needed to do what was right for our situation. Among the many questions that had to be answered were:

* What are the tax or public benefit implications to recipients of funds?

* Who is the proper person to receive the donation if the victim is deceased?

* What if the victim is no longer in this country?

* How do we determine who gets a donation and how much should it be?

The Crime Victims Assistance Center was established as the single point of contact for any and all victims for whatever need they were expressing. CVAC would then coordinate the services available to help an individual or family. This coordination of services helped to ensure no duplication of service occurred and that the victims were informed of all help available to them.

Certain immediate needs not covered by other programs were taken care of through donated funds at Catholic Charities or the Council of Churches. Examples of those immediate needs were travel costs to transport family from other countries to attend funerals, certain medical expenses, food, rent expenses (if the breadwinner was among the deceased, for example), and many more immediate/emergency needs.

We then developed a matrix to determine the amount each identified victim or family member would receive. Throughout this process, we were insistent on maintaining our neutrality so that we would not be unduly influenced by a particular situation. We are completing the last steps in this time-consuming and challenging process. Our plan is to have checks ready for distribution to the victims by Oct. 2. Details on the distribution of those checks will be made available to the recipients before that date. A full accounting of all money collected and the distribution of those funds also will be provided.

We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy and extend our sincerest sympathies and prayers to everyone impacted by this senseless act of violence. We also want to thank everyone who made donations to assist the victims and to all in our community who worked so hard and so tirelessly to respond to this unprecedented situation. This is but another example of the true caring nature of our wonderful community.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Joanne is off to Ithaca for 3 days train-the-trainer with Kathy Medovich, Dorothy Gardner, and Sue Thrasher. Beginning Oct 6th Powerful Tools classes will be held at Broome County Council of Churches and Broome West Senior Center. Info call Joanne. Register call OFA, 778-2411.

Binghamton, N.Y., Sept. 11, 2009 . . . . . The annual CHOW Hunger Walk of the Broome County Council of Churches, preparing for its Oct. 18, 2009, has pledge envelopes for volunteer walkers who want to raise money to help feed the hungry.

“The need is great and the demand has increased nearly 25% this year as we prepare for the 27th year of the Hunger Walk,” according to Deacon Edward Blaine, program director of CHOW (Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) of the Council of Churches. “Hopefully, volunteer walkers will help us meet this critical need for food.”

Walkers collect money from family, friends and other supporters as they walk to support this annual food drive. Pledge packets can be picked up at the Council of Churches at 3 Otseningo Street, Binghamton, near the Tompkins Street Bridge and Webster Street on the city’s southeast side.

A special distribution of pledge packets, flyers and posters also will be made available to the public at Center Court at the Oakdale Mall on Thursday, October 1, 2009.

The Hunger Walk, held on the Binghamton University campus, will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, with registration, followed by a 2.5- mile walk around campus kicking off at 2 p.m. Refreshments, food, entertainment and children’s activities will follow the walk.

Walkers can bring the pledge packets and money they collect to the Hunger Walk. Anyone who collects at least $50.00 will get a free tee shirt. Several community groups, churches, youth groups and Binghamton University student groups usually participate.

The purpose of the Hunger Walk is to help build up food inventories for the winter, typically a busy time of the year for CHOW. The food is used to stock 28 food pantries located in churches and congregations spread around Broome County so those in need will not have to travel far to help feed their families. Each month, CHOW provides food for about 3,300 people, with nearly half of them children.
Walkers are urged to call the Council of Churches at 724-9130 to pick up pledge packets. Council offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A prayer service for Casimir W. Macko, 85, will be held Friday, September 11, 2009, 9:30 a.m. at the Wm. R. Chase & Son Funeral Home, 737 Chenango Street, Port Dickinson with a Funeral Mass at St. Francis Church at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, followed by brunch.

James W. Savage, 78, of Johnson City, died at home Tuesday afternoon, September 8, 2009. He was predeceased by his parents, James and Helen Savage. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Loretta; a very special sister-in-law, Sister Clara Pedo, D.C., Bladensburg, MD; five children and spouses, Theresa Savage, James M. and Beverly Savage, all of Johnson City, Marie and Francis Drialo, Allentown, NJ, Celeste Savage, Matthew and Cherie Savage, all of Johnson City; seven grandchildren, Jeanette Savage, David Wilson, Keith Wilson and his wife Lisa, Elizabeth Drialo, Mary Elizabeth Savage, Sarah and Jacquelyn Savage, four great-grandchildren, Megan Wilson, Hunter Cheatwood, Evelyn and Andrew Wilson; also numerous cousins. He was a member and Eucharistic Minister at St. James Church, Johnson City and worked in the CHOW pantry, bingo and over the years many functions at St. James. He was a member of the Noctural Adoration Society and St. Patrick's Adoration Chapel. He was a devout Roman Catholic who converted to his faith prior to marrying his wife. His religion was very important to him and he instilled this deep faith to his children. He had served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He was a retired employee of the IBM Corp. in Endicott with over 25 years of service and was a member of it's Quarter Century Club. Jim enjoyed spending time with his family, going on summer vacations to Cape Cod and traveling to see his sister-in-law. He will be deeply missed by all.

Funeral services will be held at the J.F. Rice Funeral Home, Inc., 150 Main St., Johnson City, Saturday at 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at St. James Church where a Funeral Mass will be offered. Burial will be in St. Stanislaus Kostka Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those wishing may send donations to the CHOW pantry at St. James Church or make memorial contributions to the St. James Church Memorial Fund, 147 Main St., Johnson City, NY 13790 in James W. Savage's memory.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

September 9, 20099/11 to be remembered throughout the region on FridayBy Debbie Swartz dswartz@gannett.com

Moments of silence, candlelight vigils, community service: People from around Greater Binghamton will have a variety of ways to observe the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.Broome County will hold a remembrance ceremony at 8:46 a.m. Friday -- the minute in which the first of two planes hit the World Trade Center -- at the downtown Governmental Plaza. The event will include a moment of silence, a 21-gun salute and a flag-raising and lowering ceremony.At Binghamton University, the alma mater of 15 who were killed when the World Trade Center collapsed, the campus community will observe the anniversary through a variety of activities beginning at 8:46 a.m., including placement of flowers at the monument that commemorates the lost lives of former students.The Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life will hold its annual Mitzvah Marathon, which is designed to allow students to perform good deeds, such as donating food to Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse, within the community.

The U.S. Postal Service has moved its annual Letter Carriers' Harvest Food Drive to Sept. 11. Residents are asked to leave food items at, of next to, mailboxes on Friday. Letter carriers will deliver the donations to community food banks and pantries that serve the area where the donations are collected.BU also will be teaming up with the United Way of Broome County to participate in A Day of Caring activities, in which faculty, staff, students and alumni will volunteer their time to work on numerous projects throughout the community.

In Owego, the Gateway Garden Project is looking for citizens to participate in service and remembrance by giving time and energy to a community service project from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Front Street. Organized through the Charles H. Bassett Youth Foundation Inc., the project is meant to inspire the call to action and sacrifice Americans felt on 9/11.

"The tragic events of September 11, 2001 inspired Americans to come together in a remarkable spirit of unity and compassion. It was a stark reminder that our fate as individuals is inherently tied to the fate or our nation," the agency said.

Additional Facts

Future memorial

In 2002, The City of Binghamton took possession of a 3-foot piece of steel salvaged from the North Tower of the World Trade Center to turn into a Sept. 11 memorial. While the hope was that it would become part of a memorial by 2006, the project has been put on hold, due to lack of funding.The original $300,000 design called for the memorial to be built outside city hall on State Street. Promised donations of labor and materials from local businesses and unions left about $100,000 needed in donations. To date, the 9/11 Committee of the Southern Tier has raised $17,000.A less costly memorial is now likely.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

From the moment I began my term of service with AmeriCorps in October, it became apparent to me that all over the country, people were going to be looking for new ways to deal with hunger, and my community of Binghamton, NY was no different.
My charge for the year, working at the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW), was to help bring nutrition into the conversation about hunger. Yet from the moment I began my work, there was a steady increase -- leveling off at around 25% -- in the number of people accessing emergency food resources, coupled with a precipitous drop in donations of both money and non-perishable food. Meeting this new demand amidst leaner times became my new, unofficial charge. It wasn’t as though Diabetes and Heart Disease had ceased to be an issue in Binghamton, but the rise in demand for emergency food became a steady drum-beat which filled the air during my term of service.
CHOW was the largest hunger outreach agency in the county. It was also home to the largest state-funded food recovery program—Broome Bounty—in New York. Through Broome Bounty, approximately one million pounds of food was prevented from being thrown into the dumpster last year. I knew from my research, and from the time I spent homeless and hungry, that far more edible food was being thrown away every day than would be necessary to end hunger in my community. After frequenting the Wasted Food Blog, it became apparent to me that the produce department is a bountiful source of high quality, nutrient dense food.
After creating a packet explaining the legal, storage and safety concerns, as well as the tax benefits of recovering edible food, I began my “Produce Project.” While many local supermarkets turned me away for essentially asking them to donate their “trash” to us, Wegman’s Markets was particularly receptive to my pitch. They began donating culled produce as well as dairy products and prepared meals to us three times weekly. I then teamed up with a group of students studying in a service-learning program at the State University of New York at Binghamton and we began to brainstorm new ways to recover food in our community. Our attention focused on Maines Paper and Food Service’s warehouse in Conklin, NY, the largest food distributor in a 100-mile radius. In spite of its incredible infrastructure, the warehouse represented the greatest source of edible food waste in the Greater Binghamton Area. After a meeting with key players in inventory control and waste stream management at the warehouse, we secured the motherload of culled produce: 10,000-15,000 pounds monthly.
Without a reliable source of nutritious food, the task of discussing nutrition had been much like discussing proper hydration with people dying of thirst in the desert. Prior to the influx of fresh produce, the primary source of fruits and vegetables were large number ten cans. But, as the produce came pouring in, the discussion on nutrition could finally begin.
At the same time we were securing fresh produce, I was developing a new project with the Summer Lunch Program through Catholic Charities, and a mobile kitchen built by Waste Management: The Dumpster Kitchen. The Dumpster Kitchen was a recycled trash compactor unit that had been stripped clean on the inside, and retrofitted with a ceiling, walls and floor like in a restaurant kitchen, and then filled with recycled kitchen equipment. The unit could be transported anywhere to create a community meal anywhere in the county.
My goal with the kitchen was to demonstrate how healthy food could be prepared from fresh ingredients and be delicious for children and adults alike. With the help of various soup kitchen cooks, and hundreds of volunteers and hungry people, we produced healthy meals out of ingredients that were thought to be trash, in a kitchen made from a unit formerly employed in the task of hauling that food to the landfill. The idea of a dumpster kitchen both excited the folks who shared a meal with us each week, and inflamed the sensibilities of community members used to maintaining a particular distance from issues of hunger. The conversations in the latter case allowed us to engage previously disengaged sections of the community in a discussion about food waste and hunger, while allowing us to engage the former group in conversations about how to prepare healthy and delicious food on a budget.
Each week I ensured that close to a dozen agencies were represented at The Dumpster Kitchen to witness the effect it was having on an inner-city community and to start a dialogue about how they could use the unit to enhance the work they were doing. To date, the commitment to continue using this kitchen has been made by groups including the Nutritionist Office of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Broome County, the Binghamton University Food Co-op and the Broome County Council of Churches. Whichever agency uses The Dumpster Kitchen beyond my term of service, they will have access to the recovered food at Broome Bounty, and the charity and logistical support of Waste Management.
As I think back on my year of service, I think that there was nothing particularly extraordinary about what happened, but that the coalescence of events allowed new and exciting partnerships to form. I offer this to you, the reader: there is no phenomenal effort on the part of one person that need be expended in order to create meaningful and lasting change in your community. If each of us can simply identify an issue, and ask around, “How can I help?” then we can start, through the significance of our daily actions, to create meaningful change for those most in need.

Broome County Council of Churches Jail Ministry ProgramOur Family Literacy Program teaches more than reading skills, it teaches parenting, ESL, communications and reconnects families as inmates read books to their children and a CD and book are mailed to the child to keep and to listen to over and over!

It’s our mission to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe and care for the needy. Since 1887, the Rescue Mission has reached out to our neighbors in the love of Jesus to offer around-the-clock services that provide help for today and hope for tomorrow.

Introduced Scott Barvainis, our new Americorps Worker who started today.

FARM UPDATE: Blight has destroyed our tomatoes at the Frefericks Road Garden. Potatoes have been effected but can harvest small potatoes this week. Over ten thousand pounds of corn harvested so far. Still more available.

Conklin property still needs clearing. Volunteers are lining up for the fall. We have a chipper on loan and are looking into a large brush hog type cutter.

CLINTON STREET FESTIVAL: Fr. Dutko reported on the Clinton Street Festival. Not many participated in the walk but raised $1,200 anyway. Butterflies were released at the biginning of the walk. All in all a fun day and great community building event. Final tally not yet available.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

-Mudcat Grant All Star Golf Tournament is Thursday, September 10 at the Linkis at Hiawatha. Sponsor party on Wednesday eveing at Security Mutual Building. Procedes to be split between CHOW, Catholic Charities Food Pantry, Boys and Girls Ckub of Binghamton and the Urban League.

-Postale Drive is Friday, September 11.

-Hunger Walk is October 18 at Binghamton University. Envelopes and posters should be here tomorrow. Ed will arrange a day at the Mall to give out envelopes.

WEIS PARTNERSHIP: Weis Markets donated $5,000 to CHOW. $2,500 went into the Round Up program to get it started for Weis, $2,500 check to CHOW. Weis will continue the support the Giant Markets provided to CHOW.

MARIE GALLAGHER suggested that CHOW take part in the SHOP FOR A CAUSE DAY at Macy's. The day is October 17 and discount coupons can be sold by charities for $5.00 each. The charity keeps the $5.00 for each coupon sold. Ed will discuss with Dr. Joe.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Jail Christmas Projects are now starting! The white gift bags will be at the Council front desk by Tuesday morning (9/8) for pickup by any groups who who wish to decorate them. (Avoid glued on objects).This is a great project for the youth or Sunday School classes! If you want to help or have a group who would like to join in, please call the Council of Churches at 607-724-9130 or stop by and pick up a handful.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Broome County Council of Churches Jail Ministry ProgramGearing up for the Christmas Projects! We are looking for groups who can decorate white bags for gifts. This is a great project for the youth! If you want to help or have a group who would like to join in, please call the Council of Churches at 607-724-9130

Topics:Who to Call for servicesTimely issues including community resources, types of home health agencies, levels of care, legalities, elder abuse, and referral protocolsAdvance Care planning

Resources will be available:Brochures/information: various local programs and services including Information and Referral, Caregiver Services and support groups;Services such as household tasks, shopping, transportation for seniors; In-home health aide services, including screening for appropriateness and placement.

Legal Issues: The importance of advance planning and the role of the power of attorney, health care proxy and living will. Attorney Joggerst will discuss the effect of the new law regarding the power of attorney form in New York.